Read Genesis 35:9-16a at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph division
Gen 35:9-22a {p} Renewal of the covenant
Gen 35:9-16a chiastic structure
1a.1) Gen 35:9a God appeared to Jacob again;
1a.2) Gen 35:9b When he came from Paddan-aram;
1b) Gen 35:9c And blessed him;
central axis) Gen 35:10 And God said to him: “Your name is Jacob: Your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be your name;” and He called his name Israel;
2b) Gen 35:11-12 The blessing in reverse parallelism;
1a) Gen 35:11a God said to him: I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply;
shn1b) Gen 35:11b A nation + a company of nations shall come of you;
shn2b) Gen 35:11c And kings shall come out of your loins;
2a) Gen 35:12 And the land which I gave to Abraham + Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you will I give the land;
2a.1) Gen 35:13a God went up from him;
2a.2) Gen 35:13b-16a He set up a pillar at Bethel/ they journeyed from Bethel;
1a) Gen 35:13b In the place where He spoke with him;
1b) Gen 35:14a And Jacob set up a pillar;
central axis) Gen 35:14b In the place where He spoke with him;
2b) Gen 35:14c A pillar of stone/ he poured out a drink-offering on it, and poured oil on it;
2a) Gen 35:15-16a Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel/ they journeyed from Bethel.
The central axis highlights God’s name change of Jacob, from Jacob, to Israel. When God established a covenant with Abraham, He changed his name from Abram, to Abraham.
Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.” Gen 17:3-5
Abram = exalted father
Abraham = father of a multitude
God did not change Isaac’s name, but He gave Abraham the name “Isaac” for his son from the womb:
Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.” Gen 17:19
Isaac = he laughs
And now for the second time, God has changed Jacob’s name, from Jacob, to Israel.
And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. Gen 32:26-29 chiastic structure
Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Gen 35:9-10, matching elements of annual vayishlach chiastic structure
Jacob = supplanter
Israel = prince of God; upright of God; he who wrestles and prevails, from the ancient pictographs
Why does God change names? It matters to God that a name bears true witness of that person and not false witness. And God’s testimony of a man is the true witness, superseding all other testimonies. (Ha! “Supersede” means, “to supplant.”)
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